There are certainly a lot of rules about what to wear when you’re interviewing for a job. The aspect that often gets overlooked is the fact that it’s crucial to create a memorable aspect of your appearance. Especially if a firm is interviewing tons of candidates, such as law firms and accounting firms, creating  something memorable about your image  can help you stand out in the crowd. Of course, your resume is crucial and so are your answers and conduct, but wearing something the interviewers can remember you by is an additional way to stand out in the sea of applicants. So how do you do this? It’s really quite easy. First, your appearance must be impeccable, and then an accessory or blouse can do the trick. Debbie was a client who was going for a final interview for a big step up in the healthcare industry. The suits she’d been wearing had been colorful and a little too feminine. She knew her stuff and was highly qualified, but the male interviewer was tough and she needed a suit that would give her strength and command authority. We chose a black pant suit, and because Debbie was blonde with blue eyes, (Read more...)

As an image and wardrobe consultant, when I do Closet Audits with my clients, without exception, they want me to tell them if something is outdated. It makes me feel horrible, but sometimes I see things that still have the tags on them, and they’re out of style. Often, my client had just been shopping the prior weekend. How can this be, you ask? It’s the fashion lifecycle. Read on to learn more, and find out how to make sure you never end up with brand new out-moded clothes in your closet. Trends are usually introduced at the New York and international runway shows. As you can see from the chart, new styles start on the left and evolve into a bell curve. Initially the clothes and accessories are quite expensive and are adopted by the Fashion Innovators. As time goes on, the style becomes more and more popular, peaking when it is very widely available to the masses at all price points. (How long each of these stages lasts varies greatly.) As a style starts to fade, it is accepted by the Late Adopters. And finally when the style is virtually gone, it’s adopted by the

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Perhaps you’ve been reading my blog posts and e-Style Tips lately about this spring’s trend of bright colors, and you’ve thinking “that is not for me.” You want to be stylish, but you simply don’t want your clothes to scream “look at me!”  Well, you’re in luck.  Summer neutrals such as white, ivory, beige, light gray, mocha, and khaki are just as “in” as the brights you’ve been reading about. While bright colors can be over powering and garish, neutrals stand the chance of being a little boring.

Here’s how to wear neutral colors for a sophisticated, interesting image.

1. Texture. Especially if you’re wearing a monochromatic outfit, varying the texture will keep it interesting. Think of an off white, Chanel-ish boucle jacket with off white (ivory) gabardine slacks and a silk jacquard blouse for an office worthy look. Look to trims, embroidery, open weaves, eyelet and more to have fun with your neutral spring/summer wardrobe.
2. Details. Detailed styles are also more interesting than simple styles. For example, a dove gray ruched top will be more flattering and out of the ordinary than a plain, gray t-shirt or shell.
3. Edgy accessories. If updating your neutral clothes is all you’re

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Do you have a friend, mother, sister, daughter or other special female in your life who is tough to shop for? Or perhaps you've just run out of gift ideas for her over the years. An elements of image gift certificate is the perfect gift! It's easy!  Simply choose the amount you'd like to spend or the service you'd like her to have. Then contact me at 303-463-4839, 303-868-8925 or dana@elementsofimage.com. We'll discuss her needs and your budget, and I'll put the perfect package together to fit them both! A suggestion?  A Princess Day:  Treat your mom, best friend or any other special female in your life to a Princess Day.  I'll take you both shopping at her favorite stores. Yes, you get to come along, but this day is all about the princess! (She not only gets pampering and expert advice, she gets to spend time with you, too!) Since every wish is her command, we'll do exactly what she wants...maybe a new outfit or two, learning what styles look the best on her, or even finding the perfect shoes for every outfit. Click here for more ideas

In movies and entertainment, costumes are designed to help the audience get a feel for who the character or performer is and what they’re like. The costumes also help set the tone for the whole movie. For example, if you were watching a movie set in the 1920’s, but all of the characters were wearing clothing from the 1960’s, you’d probably be very confused and the whole context of the film would be skewed. Another example of discord in a film is Napoleon Dynamite. The movie was supposed to be set in 2004, but most of the characters were wearing clothes from the ‘80’s. (Consider Napoleon’s moon boots.) I was quite confused at the beginning of the movie. The same could be considered true about every day life. While you might not think of your clothing, hair, and make-up as “costumes,” the truth of the matter is that they give everyone  we come into contact with a great deal of information about us. Your image can indicate your personality, values, interests, roles, and even your goals. Do you feel like your image communicates who you really are to the world? Whenever I begin working with a new client, I always start with (Read more...)

Just within the last week, I've heard the comment, "I'm not a teenager anymore, but I don't want to dress like my grandmother, either--I can't find any clothes," several times. I can understand how women don't think there's anything out there for them between the ages of 23 and 97, but really you have the largest number of chic, wardrobe options. Here are a few tips to follow for finding stylish clothing that feels appropriate for your image.

• Extremes in styles tend to be the trendiest. You may feel more comfortable in classic styles in modern shapes.
• If you prefer to look a touch trendy, choose one trendy piece to be the star of the outfit, and then the rest of the garments should be more basic, supporting the star.
• Fit is more important than ever. No matter what your body type or size, it's important to show your shape. Covering everything up from head to toes in baggy clothing only makes you look larger than you are, and ultimately matronly. And that's not a flattering description even if you're 97!
• Go for quality, luxurious fabrics in modern or even trendy styles.

Where to shop? Almost anywhere, avoiding the Junior department and departments clearly for elderly (Read more...)

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I wanted to take a few minutes to comment on the attire of the U.S. political candidates' attire on Saturday night's New Hampshire debate. As I strongly believe in the power of image--using one's clothing and image to convey messages that one wouldn't normally say out loud, hopefully you can pick up some pointers that might help you with your success.

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Studies show that people start forming impressions of us within mere seconds of first seeing us. In other words, your image speaks well before you ever get the chance to open your mouth. Without getting too technical, it’s all a matter of non-verbal communication. The good news is that you can control the impressions you make or the non-verbal messages you’re sending out. In professional situations such as an interview, sales call or important business negotiation, your professional appearance and non-verbal messages can help get you the job, sale or seal the deal. Here are a few general tips. -First and foremost, remember everything counts! Making sure every detail of your appearance is taken care of sends a non-verbal message that you pay attention to details. Employers like that! -People really notice shoes. Ensure your shoes are clean, well polished and don’t show any signs of wear. Again, it’s the attention to details. Also, if you’re wearing a skirt, you need to be wearing heels at least two inches high. If you can’t wear heels, it’s better to wear pants. -Make sure your clothing, accessories (Read more...)